Bayless's vertical brings him down to the average "6-1" PG. Now that matters.

Jerryd Bayless is a legit 6-3 in shoes, and he has expected has a very poor wingspan at 6-3 ½. He did well in the combine, though, jumping 38 inches, lifting the 185 bar 10 times, running 11.26 in the lane agility drills, and sprinting ¾ court in 3.07 seconds.

I'm just glad ya'll let him play. It's been a tough and weird season for a lotta teams. Jerryd stays in good shape, and this is the time of year where his physical game can start wearing on other teams. Hopefully you'll get to see some real nice performances from Bayless before the season's out.

To be honest, I think New Orleans fleeced us in that deal. I'd have Jarrett Jack back for Bayless in a heartbeat.

I think it was simply a win-win. Jarrett didn't want to play backup here. He was going to in NO at the time but it was to CP3. They are also good friends. He now starts there and is playing solid despite their record.

Bayless embrasses the backup role because he knows he's learning in this stage of his career, and Jose would be a solid mentor, especially considering Bayless is prone to hogging and turning the ball over, something Jose keeps in check.

Both can score in bunches and are fearless, so we didn't lose much in Jack. If it doesn't workout with Bayless, then no harm done.

You know, I wish we had an agreement somewhere in Europe with a team to send players because a guy like Bayless should go there.

He's got the tools to be successful, it's just something missing. I truly believe, if he played in Europe for two years, got the big minutes he needs to develop and learn how to play the PG position and then came back, he'd be a better player overall.

On some games he does extremely well and on other games, he looks awful.

Agreed Bayless's biggest problem is consistency, he doesn't bring it every game.
Hopefully with Jose going down the light goes on & he brings it every game the rest of the season!

Agreed Bayless's biggest problem is consistency, he doesn't bring it every game.
Hopefully with Jose going down the light goes on & he brings it every game the rest of the season!

Is it consistency of tunnel vision? People say you are more of a small 2 or combo guard, you say, "No. I'm a 1". Then you run out and play like a 2 when everybody is waiting for you to be a distibutor and facilitator. So either he can't or he won't. Either way, he is not a rookie or sophmore anymore. If he had shown over the last couple of years that he could or would play like a true PG, he would have solidified a place here. And this is a city that he keeps sayng he wants to spend the rest of his career in. Now no one knows where he will be next year.

Considering it was last year, it doesn't look too good, but the same thing can be said about DD who also had good #s last year.

Regardless though he still put up those stats, and the FG% is decent and could be a lot worse. He didn't jack up shots. He got his teammates involved. He got to the line. His TO/game were on pace with his games as a reserve. his FG% was better as a starter. He actually ended up being a better distributor when more mins were given. He should've been on pace for 6.0 apg but ended up with 6.7 apg.

Also, I keep hearing Dragic did this, Dragic did that, etc. Jerryd can penetrate opposing teams' D, something that Jose doesn't do because he can't or because he doesn't want to. Either way, he doesn't do it. Opposing PGs give Jose space all time, it's due to the fact that they know he won't try to penetrate the D.

Also, I don't think people should call Jerryd a: SG in a PG's body, score first guy, a selfish player, etc. AND THEN bring up someone like Jennings and how his awesome "team play" would help the raps.

You probably mean opposing pg's don't give any space to Jose, because he doesn't penetrate and can shoot 3's. (that is the only way it makes seance to me)

Is it consistency of tunnel vision? People say you are more of a small 2 or combo guard, you say, "No. I'm a 1". Then you run out and play like a 2 when everybody is waiting for you to be a distibutor and facilitator. So either he can't or he won't. Either way, he is not a rookie or sophmore anymore. If he had shown over the last couple of years that he could or would play like a true PG, he would have solidified a place here. And this is a city that he keeps sayng he wants to spend the rest of his career in. Now no one knows where he will be next year.

I disagree if Bayless is known as a scoring point guard he must be a consistent one, & if his shot isn't falling he must do other things to help his team win...
End of story.

Bayless was a McDonalds All-American and was ranked as the 9th highest overall recruit in the COUNTRY coming out of high school, while some considered him to be one of the best point guards him his class.

If they weren't cut from the same cloth, they were definitely made from the same manufacturer...

You're stretching the argument to make it work for you.

Chauncey Billups was the third overall selection in the 97 Draft. Third. First PG taken. He was considered a consolation prize to losing the Tim Duncan sweepstakes.

I'm not going to compare high school careers or All-American because it doesn't mean anything to be honest. Why? Do you know how many guys are named to the the McDonald's All American team? Want to see a small list?

Scott Padgett, Kris Humphries, Shannon Brown, Ndubui Ebi, Hassan Adams, Glen Davis, etc. I can go on and on and on. Yes good NBA players were named, but being named a McDonald's All American means nothing.

2006 recruiting class, Brendan Wright was the number FIVE recruit coming out of high school? Does that mean he's a good NBA player immediately? No. Same class, Javaris Crittenon (remember him?) was the TOP Point Guard recruit. Let that sink in for a second. TOP Point Guard recruit. Javaris Crittenton. Yep.

2007, Bayless' year. Top recruit was OJ (overhyped) Mayo. He's become a 6th man. Next top recruit? Bill Walker. Yep. Bill freaking Walker. Yes, I know Bayless was considered one of the top SG's that year, but look at some other names on the list. Being a top recruit doesn't mean anything.

Essentially, you're argument could be extended to a lot of players, many that I just listed (Crittenton, Mayo etc.) but Billups is the exception, not the rule.

William Avery was a good prospect, a good PG at Duke who many thought would help the Wolves when he was drafted. He fell out of the league because he just couldn't play at this level. You have to be smart out on the court and while Bayless is a good basketball player (no doubt about it), he doesn't have the intelligence right now, to make that next step. Billups, everyone saw should've been a top flight PG. Bayless, everyone knew can score the ball, but maybe not run a team.

I'm a Bayless fan and hope he does turn into a good starting calibre PG. But I'll agree with the haters in that he's proven nothing. And his inconsistency and bone headed play gives him a bad rep. But these are things he can improve on. The fact that he plays better as a starter, than as a backup tells me it's all mental. When he plays from the bench, he's playing for minutes. When he plays as a starter, he plays to win.

That's when we see what Jerryd can really bring to the table. The problem is he hasn't earned that starting role yet and needs to give 100% when he's playing from the bench. It'll be interesting to see how things play out now that Jose is out.

Every year a handful of point guards come into the league already better than Bayless.

Dude will be fighting for a job in the NBA when his contract is up, he might have no other option but to go to Europe.

As far as potential; Janeiro Pargo. I think Bayless will stick around for another 4 years because he's stubborn and only knows how to play hard. But he's got to be a sure-thing to bring something to the table other than effort if he wants to stick around.

It's not helping Bayless' case that in recent years, there's been a great infusion of talent at PG position across the league. 10 years ago, what he brings to the table might have been enough even for a starter. Today, unless his decision-making improves by leaps and bounds, he is a backup at best.

He takes too Many shots and a lot of his decisions are questionable. I would give him a B grade last night because his shot was falling but he also struggled on some of the routine plays that Calderon usually make, for example the screen and role

I'm a Bayless fan and hope he does turn into a good starting calibre PG. But I'll agree with the haters in that he's proven nothing. And his inconsistency and bone headed play gives him a bad rep. But these are things he can improve on. The fact that he plays better as a starter, than as a backup tells me it's all mental. When he plays from the bench, he's playing for minutes. When he plays as a starter, he plays to win.

That's when we see what Jerryd can really bring to the table. The problem is he hasn't earned that starting role yet and needs to give 100% when he's playing from the bench. It'll be interesting to see how things play out now that Jose is out.

I agree with you on the whole mentality thing. You hit the nail on the coffin right there. I just hope people stop saying, oh, bayless this, bayless that, and then they go on to say how much better brandon jennings is, despite the fact that they are both score first players.

Sometimes he looks like Derrick Rose, but most of the time he looks like Jarrett Jack.

I know Casey said that "this is not an offensive democracy", but I'm halfway assuming that the Raptors are going to turn into a team like Denver or Dallas that pass a lot, have good spacing, and everybody is a scoring threat. Teams like that would seem to be less reliant upon a PG.

I was dreaming of Jose/JV becoming the new Nash/Gortat pick-and-roll kings, but maybe that isn't where the Raptors are headed.

He has several excellent attributes ... plays hard, has a stubborn 'I want to win attitude, good ball handler, a decent shot when he gets hot, seems like a good team player.
On the negative, he just plays too fast at times given his physical and mental tools ... He also goes to the hole/hoop out of control too often when taking on other players .. given his short arms he just doesn't make enough or get fouled enough.
At a minimum he is a good back-up PG, and I believe he can with time become a decent starter, but never a star.